Global Conflict: Trial By Fire
by elektroboot98
Summary: WW2 Nonbending AU. The year is 1941. Zuko is a fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe. As tensions rise between him, his father and his sister, both of whom are members of the SS, his retired Uncle, and his cousin, who is off fighting in Russia, Zuko will eventually have to decide where his loyalties truly lie.
1. Channel Crossing

**A/N: So here is the next chapter of Global Conflict. Technically it's a prequel since it takes place before the** _ **Kyoshi Kōkūtai**_ **is even created. Enjoy!  
**

 **P.S. Sorry for the formatting issues. I can't really figure it out.**

* * *

 **October 15th, 1941**

 **Northern France**

 _Just another flight across the Channel_ , Zuko thought absentmindedly thought to himself as he sat in his cockpit. The _Luftwaffe_ had gained air superiority over the English Channel for the time-being, and they were now conducting regular patrols across the area, eager to catch any stray RAF fighters.

He thought briefly of his cousin Lu Ten, who was off fighting the _Bolsheviki_ in Russia, and his Uncle Iroh, who was spending his retired years running a café known as _Die Jasmin Drachen_ in Stuttgart. The three of them had all shared jasmine tea at Iroh's café a year earlier in August of 1940, just before Zuko headed off to fight in the Battle of Britain.

Snapping himself back into reality, Zuko reoriented himself with his aircraft, a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-1, one of the first to leave the production line in Bremen. Unlike the Messerschmitt Bf 109 he had flown a year earlier, the 190 had a roomier cockpit, a wider landing gear track, and much more potent firepower, consisting of four 7.92mm machine guns (two in the nose, and two mounted in the wing root) and two outboard wing-mounted 20mm cannon. Its BMW 14-cylinder radial engine could take a lot more punishment than the Daimler-Benz V12 of a Bf 109. Zuko felt more relaxed in the Fw 190. To him, it was a more pilot-friendly plane. It would get the job done and still get him home.

As Zuko re-examined his instrument panel for the umpteenth time of the morning, he looked briefly at the picture he had attached. It was an old family photo he had torn in half. He had kept the half showing himself, Lu Ten, and Uncle Iroh, but had burned the half showing his father Ozai and his sister Azula.

* * *

The picture had been taken in July 1934, just a couple of weeks after the Night of the Long Knives. Ozai had recently been promoted to a _Sturmbanführer_ (Major) in the SS for helping "eliminate the vile traitors to the Führer's rule," and Azula, who was nearing her graduation from the Hitler Youth, had been invited to join the SD, the sinister intelligence branch of the SS. Reinhard Heydrich, Chief of the SD and deputy to SS Chief Heinrich Himmler, had personally delivered the news to an ecstatic Ozai and his overjoyed daughter.

Zuko, on the other hand, had shown no interest in the SS or any Nazi-centric career. This drove a wedge between himself and his father and sister, with Ozai distancing himself from his son and Azula denouncing him as a traitor. The feud between the two siblings continued for several months until, in December of that year, Zuko packed his bags and traveled to Stuttgart to live with Iroh and Lu Ten.

Following in his cousins's footsteps, Zuko had decided that he wanted to become a fighter pilot and,with his Uncle's help, he enrolled in flight training. In 1937, at the remarkably young age of 15, he enlisted in the _Luftwaffe_. However, because of his adolescence, he was held back from the frontlines in the Spanish Civil War. Nevertheless, Zuko used his free time to hone his skills in the air. By the time of the Battle of Britain in 1940, he had qualified to head to the front. To his surprise, Major Adolf Galland handpicked him along with several other boys to join his fighter group _Jagdgeschwader_ 26\. In fall of that same year, flying the Bf 109, he scored his first kill, a British Spitfire. By the end of the year, Zuko had racked up 24 kills, and had become an _Unteroffizier_ (Corporal).

However, he had shown a clear distaste for the Bf 109. Several times, he had ending up landing with his nose sticking down and on one occasion, his 109 had flipped over, nearly breaking his neck. Because of the 109's narrow undercarriage, it was a nightmare to take off and land in, and many of Zuko's fellow pilots had either injured themselves or died in accidents.

Thus, when Galland notified his pilots in March that they would be transferring to the Fw 190, Zuko was ecstatic to end his nightmarish stint in the Messerschmitt.

The next month, at Galland's recommendation, he temporarily transferred to the French town of Le Bourget to join the newly formed _Erprobungsstaffel_ 190, a squadron designed to test the new fighter, iron out its problems, and approve it for full operational service in the _Luftwaffe_. Zuko found the Fw 190 a great pleasure to fly. Takeoff and landing was much easier than it had ever been in the Bf 109, and he suffered no accidents. A few problems were encountered, but overall, it was a remarkable aircraft.

In August of the same year, he transferred back to JG 26 with the first batch of production Fw 190s. The next month, Zuko, along with Galland and seven others, took part in the 190's first combat engagement over the English Channel, where he shot down two Spitfires. His new-found expertise in the Focke-Wulf fighter eventually earned him both a promotion to a _Feldwebel_ (Staff Sergeant) and a place in Galland's personal squadron from the next month onwards. Henceforth, he would fly with the other _Experten_.

* * *

As they neared the Channel, the radio began broadcasting the famous marching song _Das Engelandlied_. As the opening brass section finished, the pilots immediately began singing along:

 _ **Heute wollen wir ein Liedlein singen,**_  
 _ **Trinken wollen wir den kühlen Wein**_  
 _ **Und die Gläser sollen dazu klingen,**_  
 _ **Denn es muss, es muss geschieden sein.**_

 _ **Gib' mir deine Hand, deine weiße Hand,**_  
 _ **Leb' wohl, mein Schatz, leb' wohl mein Schatz,**_  
 _ **Leb' wohl, lebe wohl**_

Zuko's thoughts strayed to his childhood friend and girlfriend Mai. They had shared a tearful goodbye and a passionate kiss before Zuko's departure to the front.

 _**Denn wir fahren, denn wir fahren,**_  
 _ **Denn wir fahren gegen Engeland, Engeland.**_

Suddenly, while the march continued over the radio, Galland stopped singing and called out,

"Spitfires, eleven o'clock low."

"Copy that, Dolfo," replied Zuko, using Galland's signature nickname. He leaned on the stick, nosing over into a slight dive.

 ** _Unsre Flagge und die wehet auf dem Maste,_**  
 ** _Sie verkündet unsres Reiches Macht,_**

He leveled out behind the nearest Spitfire and pulled the trigger. 7.92mm and 20mm rounds tore into the British plane until it broke apart.

 ** _Denn wir wollen es nicht länger leiden,_**  
 ** _Dass der Englischmann darüber lacht._**

As Zuko pulled into a turn to avoid the debris, another Spitfire dropped in behind him and gave chase.

 _ **Gib' mir deine Hand, deine weiße Hand,**_

Tracers whizzed by his cockpit as the British pilot attempted to get a clean shot.

 _ **Leb' wohl, mein Schatz, leb' wohl mein Schatz,**_  
 _ **Leb' wohl, lebe wohl**_

Zuko immediately jerked left and pulled back on the stick. His Fw 190 went into a diving turn that the Spitfire could not keep up with.

 _ **Denn wir fahren,**_

The Brit attempted to follow, but he still could not get a clean shot.

 _ **Denn wir fahren,**_

Finally, one of the _Experten_ , Josef "Pips" Priller, dropped in behind the Spitfire and shot him down. Although Zuko could not clearly see behind him, he was rewarded with the sound of an explosion.

 _ **Denn wir fahren gegen Engeland, Engeland.**_

"Thanks, Pips!" he called out over the radio.

"No problem, Hotman," replied Priller.

Zuko smirked and rolled his eyes as he often did whenever he heard his nickname. He had earned it the previous year when he lost his temper after crashing his Bf 109 twice in one day when he attempted to land. Priller had coined it from his "hot temper."

As Zuko pulled out of his dive, he saw a British destroyer churning across the Channel, firing anti-aircraft shells at him. He immediately radioed the others,

"Schlageter Flight, there's an English destroyer down there. Is anyone up for a strafing run?"

Galland and Priller both replied with a " _Ja!_ "

"Alright, boys," Galland called out over the radio, "Pips and I are going with Hotman. Everyone else, cover us!"

 _ **Kommt die Kunde, dass ich bin gefallen,**_

 _ **Dass ich schlafe in der Meeresflut,**_

Both Galland and Priller nose dived down to just 100 feet off the ground. Zuko followed suit. Flak burst menacingly around them, but did not deter them. The three Fw 190s closed the distance to the destroyer before opening fire.

 _ **Weine nicht um mich, mein Schatz, und denke:**_  
 _ **Für das Vaterland da floss sein Blut.**_

The first pass crippled the ship's gun directors and most of its anti-aircraft guns, leaving it almost defenseless.

 _ **Gib' mir deine Hand, deine weiße Hand,**_

As they flew away, Zuko kicked the rudder and pulled on the stick, rolling into a tight 180 degree turn to make another pass. He jerked the stick back and forth, angling his Fw 190 to make the shots count. Satisfied, he switched to his 20mm cannon and pulled the trigger.

 _ **Leb' wohl, mein Schatz, leb' wohl mein Schatz,**_

High-explosive bullets raked the British destroyer, setting it on fire.

 _ **Leb' wohl, lebe wohl**_

Zuko watched as the ship belched smoke and flame from its smokestacks, dead in the water. As he flew away, he heard a much louder explosion. Zuko rolled his fighter into a circle to get a better view.

 _ **Denn wir fahren,**_

The destroyer's magazine had detonated, ripping the ship in two. Zuko climbed for altitude and pulled alongside Galland and Priller before shouting " _Horrido!_ " over the radio.

 _ **Denn wir fahren,**_

"Congratulations, Hotman! You just bagged yourself a destroyer!"

"Thank you, Dolfo!"

 _ **Denn wir fahren gegen Engeland, Engeland.**_

As the march's final chords played over the radio, the three pilots joined up with the rest of Schlageter Flight before heading back across the Channel to Northern France.

* * *

 _ **Fliegerhorst Abbeville**_

 **Abbeville-Drucat, France**

Zuko lowered the flaps and the landing gear as he prepared to land. As his Fw 190 touched down, he held down on the brakes tightly until he came to a stop on the runway. He then slowly taxied over to the revetments, switching off the engine before sliding the canopy open. He unfastened his safety harness, pulled off his flight cap, and got out of the cockpit, using a special panel on his fighter's wing to support his foot. As soon as Zuko's feet were on the ground, his fellow pilot and friend Hans Von Henkel came running towards him. Only this time, he seemed a little shaky.

"Hey Zuko!"

"What is it, Hans?"

"Y-your sister's here to see you. S-she's waiting by the barracks." Hans muttered darkly.

"You alright, Hans? You don't look too good."

"I-I'm fine... S-she just s-scared me a little."

"Why don't you head over to the mess hall and get yourself some dinner. I'll handle my sister."

"O-okay." With that, Hans walked over with some of the other junior pilots to the mess hall. He was one of the younger new recruits. Although he was socially inept, Zuko took him under his wing. Often, when Zuko was not on patrol, they would fly together, and he would train young Hans in dogfighting.

Zuko frowned as he set off towards the barracks, tightly gripping his Walther P38 pistol. He had not had a "civil conversation" with Azula since before he ran away to live with Iroh and Lu Ten. That conversation had ended with both of them threatening to shoot one another.

He passed the revetments, watching ground personnel milling about, already refueling and rearming the fighters for the next mission.

"Hey, Hotman!"

Zuko turned and saw Priller running to him.

"What, Pips?"

"Where are you off to? And why do you have your pistol out?"

"My sister decided to pay me a visit."

"The evil _schlampe_ in the SD?"

"Easy, Pips. She may be a complete _arschloch_ , but she is my sister after all. And yes, she's in the SD."

"So why the pistol?"

"Well, the last time I spoke to her, she threatened to shoot me. I just want to be prepared in case she decides to follow through with that threat."

Zuko cocked his pistol to emphasize his previous statement before continuing,

"Besides, Azula has a habit of frightening people. Poor Hans looked scared out of his wits."

"Hans? He tried to talk to her?"

"From what he told me, she was standing right by the barracks, so it's not like he had a choice," he allowed himself to smirk a little, "And you know how bad Hans is with girls."

Priller chuckled.

As they neared the barracks, Zuko caught sight of three SD officers standing near a black car. One of them noticed him and muttered something to the dark-haired one in the center who turned to face Zuko, her lips drawn in a smirk. He stared into the amber eyes of his sister.

"My, how filthy you look in your uniform," drawled Azula, "Has the war made you uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?"

"Don't call me that!" Zuko retorted angrily. Priller glared at Azula and the other officers and flexed the fingers in his right hand, as though he was itching to pull out his pistol as well.

Compared to the past two years, Azula looked surprisingly different and far more intimidating in her SD uniform, complete with a trench coat, jackboots, and a death's head cap, the _Totenkopf_ grinning ominously on it. Her cold and calculating pale face seemed sharper than ever and her amber eyes burned with the excitement and fanaticism of a true and loyal Nazi.

"Oh and put your pistol away, would you? I'd hate for, ah, a misunderstanding to ensue."

She gestured towards the other two SD officers, who turned to face Zuko and Priller. Both of them carried an MP40 submachine gun. Azula herself was reaching for a Luger. Recognizing the hint, Zuko holstered his pistol.

"I see Heydrich finally let you out of Berlin. Is he going insane too?"

"Very funny, brother," retorted Azula, now closely examining her nails, "He's promoted me to his new adjutant in the new RSHA. Now, we have the power of the Gestapo, SD, and even the Kripos at our fingertips. So you'd better watch your step and win us this war, because I hear Göring's not to happy with you."

Hot anger bubbled within Zuko as he thought of the fat Reich Marshal who commanded the _Luftwaffe_ and had mercilessly castigated its pilots for failing to raze England to the ground a year earlier. He drew out his pistol again and pointed it at Azula.

"Neither you nor that fat fool know anything about what goes on beyond our borders, so shut up!"

Some of the other pilots began turning stares at the ensuing standoff. Some continued walking while others stopped to watch.

"Put the gun away Zu-zu," Azula stated calmly, "Or my men will riddle you with bullets."

To emphasize her statement, both officers cocked their MP40s, while Azula had drawn out her Luger and was now pointing it back at Zuko.

Priller put a hand on Zuko's shoulder, "Zuko, I think it's best if you do what she says."

Seething, he holstered his pistol once more, turning to leave. Azula wasn't finished, however.

"By the way, Father still thinks you're a pathetic coward and a failure for refusing to follow in his footsteps in the SS."

Zuko clenched his teeth as he and Priller walked towards the mess hall, "You can tell Father that the only cowards in our family are both him and yourself, you _schweinhund_!"

Azula laughed unkindly before walking back towards her new Mercedes-Benz. Her fellow officers followed her and they all piled in. Zuko watched as they drove away, relieved that the conversation was finished. He made a mental note to write to both Uncle Iroh and Lu Ten and continued on his way to the mess hall, eager to toast another day's success.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys, just to let you know, I'm not dead. I've just been dealing with school stuff. Now that I have a minute amount of free time, I will be updating/revising this story once in a while, and I'm in the process of rewriting _Kyoshi Rising_ , so I'll see you around soon.**

 **Credit goes to Mark Karvon for the Fw 190 cover image.**

 **-As implied, Zuko is a pilot in the** _ **Luftwaffe**_ **, but he doesn't fit the category of "fanatical Nazi" unlike Ozai and Azula.**

 **-Oh and another thing, currently Zuko does not have his scar. He will have it later on.**

 **Historical notes for the detail-savvy:**

 **-The Night of the Long Knives was the purging of the leadership of the SA (Brownshirts). Basically, Hitler carried it out to gain key allies and ensure his survival as Chancellor of Germany.**

 _ **-Experten**_ **was the term used to describe high-scoring** _ **Luftwaffe**_ **pilots. Unlike the Allied air forces, the** _ **Luftwaffe**_ **did not follow the standard Ace system (5 kills = Ace). Pilots were generally awarded the designation if they scored a high amount of kills.**

 _ **-Schlageter**_ **was the nickname of JG 26 during the war and was apparently derived from Albert Leo Schlageter, a WWI veteran and** _ **Freikorps**_ **(the sort-of spiritual predecessor to the early Nazi Party) member who was executed in France in 1923 on charges of attempted sabotage.**

 **-The RSHA (German abbreviation for the Reich Main Security Office) was formed in September 1939. It combined the SD, the Gestapo, the Kripos (Kriminalpolizei) and other agencies into one organization and was placed under the direct control of Reinhard Heydrich.**

 **Endnote: I know I may get some crap for this, so I'm sorry that I made Azula a Nazi. But seriously, in this time period, she would absolutely join the party. Anyways, I may update this regularly as I find ways to improve it or iron out any errors.  
**

 **-Lyric translation for _Das Engelandlied:_ **

**1\. Today we want to sing a little song,**  
 **We would like to drink cool wine**  
 **Where glasses should be clinked,**  
 **For we must, we must be parted.**

 **Refrain:**  
 **Give me your hand, your white hand,**  
 **Farewell, my darling, farewell my darling,**  
 **Farewell, farewell**  
 **For we sail, for we sail,**  
 **For we sail to take on the English, the English.**

 **2\. We show our flag and it blows on the mast,**  
 **It proclaims the power of our realm,**  
 **For we no longer want to suffer,**  
 **That the Englishman at us does laugh.**

 **Refrain**

 **3\. If the news comes that I have fallen,**  
 **That I sleep in Davy Jones' locker,**  
 **Don't cry over me, my dear, just think:**  
 **When he shed his blood, it was for the Fatherland.**

 **Refrain**

 **German swearword translation:**

 **schlampe = slut**

 **arschloch = asshole**

 **schweinhund = pig-dog**


	2. The Brink of Death

**A/N: I'm sorry about the rather long wait, but I've been struggling with a slight case of writer's block. Anyways, here's Chapter 2, and I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

 **October 16th**

 _ **Fliegerhorst Abbeville**_

 _Dear Uncle,_

 _I hope you are doing well. The war is going rather well, at least on our end. Yesterday, we shot down two British planes and I sank a destroyer. I really hope to see some more action, but at the same time, I yearn for the day when this war will end. I'm really looking forward to the day when we can have tea together again at your café. By the way, Galland is demanding an invitation after trying the jasmine tea I brought along. In fact, practically the whole geschwader enjoys it. You're rubbing off on them Uncle. Anyways, today, I'm going to try and go for a practice flight with my fellow pilot Hans. I'm working on training him to become a dogfighter. He's meek compared to the other pilots, but I think he has the skills. I just need him to prove it._

 _I hope that I will see you soon Uncle. I miss both you and Lu Ten._

 _Love,_

 _Zuko_

Zuko finished reading his letter and put it down. He made a reminder to put in the mailbox. It would then be taken by Ju 52 to Stuttgart.

Today, JG 26 had some time for R&R, as JG 2 would be taking up air superiority duties for the day. This would be the perfect opportunity for Zuko to go flying with Hans. He had planned out everything they would be doing. The only problem was the weather. Storms had rolled in overnight. While there was no lightning. there was a lot of rain. Nonetheless, Zuko persisted. He had flown in stormy weather several times near Dover. He was eager to put young Hans through his paces.

* * *

"You ready for another flight today, Hans?"

Hans looked up from his desk. He was reading his Fw 190's operational manual, a peculiar habit that Zuko had noticed.

"In this weather?" Hans gestured towards the window. The rain was pouring now. They could hardly see the runway.

Zuko smiled, "I know you're worried, but you have to learn to fly and fight in all kinds of weather."

"O-okay."

"How many times have you read that?" Zuko pointed at Hans' manual.

"Many times actually," Hans replied.

"And, how do you feel?"

"Uh, about what?"

"Do you think you know everything there is to know about the Focke-Wulf Fw 190?"

"Theoretically, yes."

"Well," Zuko handed Hans' flight cap to him, "Don't you think we should put the theories to practice?"

"Ummmm..." Hans looked down at his hands for several seconds before looking back up at Zuko, "Alright."

"We can take my kubelwagen over to the revetments."

As Zuko waited, Hans donned his flight suit and fastened his cap over his head. They then left the barracks and walked over to the garage that kept Zuko's kubelwagen. Zuko got in and turned on the engine while Hans got in the passenger seat. They drove out the garage and towards the hangars.

They finally got to the revetment that held Hans' Fw 190. It had been covered before the rain. Hans jumped out and walked over to his fighter.

"You're not taking your 190?" Hans asked.

"Nah," Zuko replied, "I'm going to try something a little different. Get your fighter running. I'll meet you on the runway."

As Hans got into his 190, Zuko drove further until he got to a large hangar. Inside lay a Spitfire that had been captured on the French coast. Its tail had been painted yellow and now sported a black swastika and it had a _balkenkreuz_ on its wings and fuselage. Zuko had asked the ground personnel to prep it for flight the previous day.

After parking inside the hangar, Zuko turned off the engine, leapt out of his kubelwagen, and ran over to the British plane. He climbed atop the port wing and opened the canopy. As he sat himself in the cockpit, he fastened the safety harness, and began the lengthy process of starting the engine. As the Spitfire was powered by a V12 engine instead of a radial, it had a more complex startup process than the Fw 190. Zuko set the fuel mixture, adjusted the propeller pitch, opened the radiator shutter and the priming pump, and switched on the ignition. At the same time, he pushed the starter button and gave one stroke of the priming pump. The Spitfire's Rolls-Royce Merlin engine sputtered to life. As soon as it warmed up, he applied minimum throttle and began taxiing to the runway. The rain spattered against the canopy. As he switched on the radio, he saw Hans taxiing over in his Fw 190.

"You're in the Spitfire? Why?" Hans called out over the radio.

"I thought we could practice a mock-dogfight under realistic circumstances," Zuko replied.

"Okay."

"Remember, Hans. Against the Spitfire, your speed and diving abilities are your main advantages."

"Got it, Hotman."

"You've been spending too much time with Pips."

Hans chuckled over the radio as the two fighters turned onto the runway. Zuko lowered the flaps and adjusted the trim tab. As soon as he was done, he watched Hans do the same.

"Get ready to take off," Zuko warned Hans. "Now!"

Zuko pushed the throttle to full. The Spitfire raced down the runway as Hans' Fw 190 followed suit. Both pilots lifted off and climbed through the clouds to 15,000 feet. As soon as they could see each other again, they formed up alongside each other.

"So what are we going to do now?" Hans radioed Zuko.

"We're going to test how well you can counter attacks from a Spitfire," Zuko replied.

Zuko eased off slightly on the throttle, slowing the Spitfire down. He then dropped in behind Hans.

"Don't worry," Zuko flipped on the safety switch, "We won't be using our guns."

"Okay. What will we be trying?"

"First off, what do you do when you're in a turn and a Spitfire drops in behind you?"

"You pull a diving turn in the opposite direction."

"And if the Spitfire follows?"

"He won't be able to get a good shot."

"Good. Now let's try it."

As Zuko watched, Hans' Fw 190 pulled ahead and rolled into a left turn. Zuko jerked the stick to the left and kicked the rudder, following him. After a few seconds, Hans suddenly flicked into a diving right turn. Zuko followed him through the maneuver, but couldn't get the 190 in his targeting reticule, nor could he calculate a proper angle of deflection. He could not get a clear shot on Hans.

"Good job," Zuko said as they leveled out, "You're learning well, Hans."

"Zuko, behind you!" Hans suddenly shouted over the radio. A British Spitfire had dropped in behind in him out of nowhere. Machine gun and cannon bullets tore through his plane, shredding the rudder, ripping holes in his left wing, and puncturing the canopy and the engine. Somehow, Zuko himself was unharmed. His engine, however, had taken a beating. The radiator was damaged, trailing a mixture of smoke and coolant as Zuko struggled to regain control.

As the other Spitfire closed in, Zuko yanked on the stick, pulling into a climb to try to get away. But the British pilot had sunk his teeth into his opponent and would not let go. Zuko's damaged Spitfire was bleeding off airspeed. Any second now, he would stall and fall out of the sky. A sitting duck for his English opponent. All of a sudden, he heard an explosion. As he pulled out of the climb to get a better look, the British plane was falling away, burning. Instead, Hans' Fw 190 pulled alongside Zuko.

"Thanks, Hans! I owe you one."

"Don't mention it," replied Hans.

"I think that's enough for today."

"Can you make it back to base?"

"I think I'll manage."

As they approached the base, Zuko descended in preparation for landing. But as he lowered the flaps, only his right flap would lower, owing to the damage in the left wing. It ended up jamming as well. To make matters worse, when he attempted to lower the landing gear, he was instead rewarded with a painful whirring sound. Pulling the lever back up, he pounded the side of the canopy with his fist before shouting, " _Verdammt_!" He was also too low to bail out. And worst of all, his engine had caught fire. Flames were now licking the cowling in front of him.

 _No landing gear and one flap working. I guess I'll have to do this the hard way_.

Zuko cut the engine and slowly descended to the runway.

As the Spitfire skidded across the runway, the propeller was bent backward along the nose and the wings were torn off from the fuselage. After skidding the length of the runway, the plane ploughed through some dirt at the other end before coming to a halt.

Zuko unbuckled his safety harness, opened the canopy and ran as fast as he could from the burning Spitfire. Just about fifteen seconds later, his plane exploded.

He hit the dirt to avoid the flying debris. Burning metal rained down around him.

After picking himself up, Zuko ran back towards the airfield. Hans had just landed his Fw 190 and was taxiing over to the revetments.

"Zuko!"

Galland and Priller were running towards him with shocked looks on their faces. Zuko stopped and turned towards them.

"What the hell happened?" Galland asked.

"A British Spitfire jumped me while Hans and I were training. I don't know how he got this far inland, however. Unless he didn't cross the Channel, the fighters from JG 2 should have caught him."

"Perhaps I should have a talk with _Oberstleutnant_ Oseau about this," Galland suggested.

"Ah," Priller interjected, "Don't put too much pressure on the _Richthofengeschwader_. After all, it was storming while they were on patrol. The Brit might have simply slipped through the clouds."

"Perhaps," Galland mused. "Anyways, what matters is that both Hans and you are safe. I must say though, Hans deserves recognition for saving your burning ass, Hotman."

Zuko rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"And speaking of recognition, this just came in from my good friend Werner. Congratulations!"

Galland handed Zuko a telegram which read,

* * *

 _Adolf,_

 _I've heard about yesterday's engagement. I commend you and your men on another successful patrol._

 _On that matter, I have heard about the Feldwebel who sank the British destroyer. Zuko, I believe his name was. Our records show that he has already received the Iron Cross 1st class for his role in testing the Fw 190. My subordinates and Field Marshal Udet agree that he shall receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for sinking a ship with a single fighter! He will be required to attend the ceremony at Berchtesgaden next month on the 4th. You will be required to attend as well, as you are his commanding officer._

 _Deine Kamerad (Your Comrade),_

 _Werner Mölders_

 _General der Jagdflieger_

* * *

Zuko's surprise was replaced by excitement. He grinned as Priller clapped him on the back.

"Way to go, Hotman!"

Hans, who had joined them while Zuko was reading the telegram, shouted "Congratulations, Zuko!"

"Thanks. How about we celebrate tonight?"

"Again?!" Galland exclaimed.

"Why not? I still have plenty of tea left over."

Galland, Priller, and Hans all burst into laughter at the suggestion. Nonetheless, they agreed to toast Zuko's decoration with a cup of jasmine tea rather than a mug of beer. After all, tonight was a special night for Zuko.

* * *

 **A/N: So this is the 2nd Chapter. It may be a while before a new chapter appears, because I have more pressing stuff for school to work on. Nonetheless, continue reading and R &R as you please.**

 **And I know Zuko may seem OOC in this chapter, but the idea I want in this chapter is to emphasize the camaraderie that Zuko and his fellow pilots share. Since he has a troubled family history and he is miles away from the only family members who truly care for him, the only family he has currently are his squadronmates. That's why I like to make him share sort of a brotherly bond with rookie pilot Hans von Henkel (who is entirely OC, YES I KNOW, I SUCK AT COMING UP WITH GERMAN NAMES!).**

 **Historical notes:**

 **-The** _ **kubelwagen**_ **was a popular** _ **Wehrmacht**_ **vehicle that was pretty much the German equivalent of the Jeep.**

 **-The Fw 190 had significant advantages over the early Spitfire, which are highlighted during the practice session. Except for turning, the 190 was superior to the Spitfire.**

 **-The maneuver that Zuko teaches Hans is an actual** _ **Luftwaffe**_ **technique used by Fw 190 pilots to counter the Spitfire.**

 **-** _ **Oberstleutnant**_ **is equivalent to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.**

 **-** _ **Jagdgeschwader**_ **2 was nicknamed the** _ **Richthofengeschwader**_ **because it was named** _ **Richthofen**_ **in honor of Manfred Von Richthofen, the famous Red Baron.**


	3. Come Marching Home

**November 4** **th** **, 1941**

 _ **Flughafen**_ **Salzburg**

 **Salzburg, Austria**

Zuko taxied to the front of the hangar using the rudder pedals and cut the engine. As soon as the propeller stopped spinning, he unfastened the safety harness, opened the canopy and disembarked from his Fw 190. Galland, who had stopped his fighter next to Zuko's, followed suit.

The flight from Abbeville to Salzburg had been a long one for both pilots. As they were flying over Germany, they had nearly run out of fuel and had to refuel at Munich before continuing on to the German-Austrian border-town where the award ceremony would be held.

Salzburg was situated near the foot of the Bavarian Alps, which served as a natural border between Austria and Germany. It was here that Hitler's Alpine retreat was located. An ideal location, given that it was situated between both the country he ruled and his home country.

Both Zuko and Galland took off their flight caps. They looked around and saw a pair of black Mercedes-Benz 770K limousines waiting for them. Before they could walk over, however, an all-too-familiar voice called out,

"If it isn't my beloved cousin!"

Zuko turned around to face a somewhat taller man with the same short black hair, pale skin, and amber eyes that Zuko sported. He seemed several years older than his cousin.

Grinning to himself, then laughing, Zuko sprinted towards Lu Ten and crashed into him in a fierce hug.

"It's good to see you, Lu Ten!" Zuko shouted excitedly.

"Great to see you too, Zuko!" Lu Ten replied.

"Um, what is going on here," asked Galland as he cut into their reunion.

"Oh, introductions," Zuko mumbled absentmindedly to himself as he broke away from his cousin, "Adolf, this is my cousin Lu Ten. Lu Ten, this is Major Adolf Galland, commander of _Jagdgeschwader_ 26."

"Pleasure," Galland said as he shook Lu Ten's hand, "You're from _Jagdgeschwader_ 54, are you not?"

"Indeed I am. How did you know?"

Galland gestured towards Lu Ten's aircraft, a Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2, that was parked a couple of feet away from them. It sported a green heart, the emblem of JG 54, below the cockpit. Another Bf 109 was parked next to it, and its pilot was currently walking towards the three others.

"Nowi!" Galland suddenly shouted. He ran towards the other pilot who shook his hand vigorously and replied, "Good to see you again, Dolfo!"

"I see the two of you have met," Lu Ten said as Galland and "Nowi" walked back over.

"Zuko, this is _Hauptmann_ Walter Nowotny, one of my squadronmates. Walter, this is my cousin Zuko, JG 26."

"A pleasure to meet you, Zuko," Nowotny shook Zuko's hand, "You're the guy who singlehandedly sank the destroyer, right?"

Zuko smiled awkwardly, "Yeah… That's me."

Two more pilots were walking towards them. One had a round, boyish face. The other seemed older but very easygoing.

"Bubi!" Galland called out to the boyish-faced pilot, "I didn't know you were coming here too!'

Galland and Nowotny walked over to the other pilots and shook their hands. Nowotny turned back to the others,

"Zuko, Lu Ten, these are some of our other old friends, Erich Hartmann," he gestured towards "Bubi", who nodded towards them, "and Günther Rall. They're from JG 52."

"Nice to meet both of you," Hartmann shook their hands, followed by Rall.

"Well, we really should be on our way," Galland suddenly announced. "It's a rather long drive to the _Berghof_."

As ground crews began moving their aircraft into the hangars, the six pilots piled into the two limousines. Zuko, Lu Ten, and Nowotny got in one car; Hartmann, Galland, and Rall in the other. As they drove off, Lu Ten and Nowotny stole one last envious glance at Zuko's and Galland's Fw 190s.

"I'm jealous," Lu Ten said, pouting over the fact that his younger cousin was flying a newer plane than he was. The pilots of JG 54 were still flying the Bf 109. Nowotny had a similar look of disappointment.

"Why?" Zuko replied, "You're better at flying the 109 than I am."

"True," Lu Ten smirked a little, "But I'm still jealous. You'd think since the squadrons in the East are fighting a more powerful opponent, we'd receive newer aircraft."

"But the fact that you're flying older aircraft and still performing excellently shows that you're very skilled pilots, no matter what Göring thinks."

Nowotny smiled as Lu Ten laughed, "Just like Dad, always looking on the bright side."

Zuko shrugged in response, "Well, what can I say, I learn from the best."

And so, the drive continued, winding through the Bavarian Alps as they made their way to the Führer's retreat.

* * *

 **The** _ **Berghof**_ **(Hitler's Residence)**

 **The Bavarian Alps**

 **Berchtesgaden, Germany**

Both Zuko and Lu Ten stood at attention. To their right stood Hartmann, Rall, and Nowotny. Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko saw Azula and three others in SS uniforms looking at him. One, with his hand clasping Azula's shoulder was their father Ozai, who stared at him impassively, as though he was non-existent. Not that it wasn't normal. Ever since Zuko had rejected a career in the SS, Ozai had grown negligent of his son, and he didn't even notice or care that Zuko had run away to live with Iroh and Lu Ten after his vicious argument with Azula.

The other person, with his recognizable circular glasses and mustache, was none other than Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler. To Zuko, he was a very strange man. Compared to the fanatics like Azula and Ozai, Himmler seemed very mild-mannered and withdrawn, hiding in the background. It was hard to believe someone like him held power over the concentration camps, the security and secret police forces, and the _Waffen-SS_.

The third person was about 6 feet tall. He sported pale skin and blond hair and had a steely face with cold blue eyes that seemed to bore into Zuko's inner thoughts.

 _So that is Reinhard Heydrich, Azula's boss._ Zuko thought to himself.

Werner Mölders walked into the room with the _Führer_ himself at his side.

"Today," Mölders began, "we are here to honor the extraordinary achievements of certain fighter pilots of the _Luftwaffe_. As I read these achievements, our Führer, Adolf Hitler, will award the pilots."

 _Remember_. Zuko thought of what Lu Ten told him before the ceremony. _When he gives you the award, look him straight in the eye. Thank him when he congratulates you, shake his hand, and salute him_.

"First, to _Feldwebel_ Zuko of _Jagdgeschwader_ 26\. For scoring his 50th kill over the English Channel and singlehandedly sinking a British destroyer, he is awarded both the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and a promotion to _Stabsfeldwebel_."

Zuko's eyes widened in surprise, _Galland never said anything about a promotion!_

Hitler walked up to him, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. His blue eyes stared at Zuko, as penetrative as Heydrich's, as he presented him with his Knight's Cross. Zuko lowered his head so that Hitler could place it on his neck. As soon as it was in place, he raised his head, and the Führer offered his hand. Zuko shook it.

"Congratulations, dear boy," Hitler said gently.

"Thank you, Mein Führer," Zuko muttered.

As Hitler backed up a few paces, Zuko raised his right arm in salute. He looked at Galland, raising an eyebrow as the Führer moved to the next pilot.

"Next to _Leutnant_ Lu Ten of _Jagdgeschwader_ 54\. For scoring his 100th kill against the _Bolsheviki schweine_ and for displaying remarkable leadership in his _geschwader_ , he is awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords and is hereby promoted to _Oberleutna_ _nt_."

Hitler approached Lu Ten, fastened a tiny silver decoration consisting of a cluster of oak leaves and a pair of swords to his Knight's Cross, shook his hand, and backed away. Lu Ten saluted, and he moved on.

And so, the ceremony went on until Nowotny was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. When it ended, the pilots gathered together in the bar to toast the occasion. Hartmann and Rall had both asked Zuko to recount his intrepid battle against the English destroyer.

"So Pips, Dolfo and I come in low, and strafe the destroyer once. We knocked out most of the guns on the first pass. Then, while Dolfo and Pips are covering me, I sweep around and make another pass. I end up knocking out the engines and as I pull away, the powder magazine explodes, destroying the ship."

Someone clapped Zuko on the back that he turned to find a short, easygoing man with grey hair and a long beard.

"Uncle Iroh!" Zuko shouted with elation.

"Zuko, how are you doing, my boy?"

"Even better now that you're here!" Zuko hugged Iroh, who laughed.

The other _Luftwaffe_ pilots laughed heartily as they witnessed Uncle and Nephew reunite. Lu Ten walked over and hugged his father.

"It's good to see you my son," Iroh patted Lu Ten on his back, "I'm proud of both of you."

"If it isn't the tea master himself," Galland approached and shook Iroh's hand.

"So, you have tried some of the tea my nephew brought?"

"Yes sir, and I must say, the jasmine tea is the best!"

"I second that notion," Nowotny added, "I've never tasted such delicious tea in my entire life!" Lu Ten had also brought tea with him when he went east.

"I keep telling Zuko jasmine tea is the best, and he always disagrees with me! My nephew is still learning to accept the simplicities of life, especially the beauty of tea."

Zuko rolled his eyes and laughed.

"And speaking of the beauty of tea, I hear you all have the day off today and tomorrow, so why not pop over to my tea shop in Stuttgart?"

"I'd be delighted, sir!" Galland replied enthusiastically.

"Please, call me Iroh," the older man waved his hand nonchalantly.

"Count me in as well," Nowotny added.

Iroh then turned towards Hartmann and Rall.

"You both would be welcome as well! Friends of my boys are friends of mine, too!"

Both pilots conversed briefly before turning to face Iroh. Rall stepped forward and said, "We would be honored to visit your tea shop!"

"Splendid!" Iroh replied. "I look forward to it!"

* * *

 **November 5** **th**

 _ **Die Jasmin Drachen**_

 **Stuttgart, Germany**

As Iroh busied himself serving customers, Zuko, Lu Ten, Galland, Nowotny, Hartmann, and Rall all sat at a table with their cups of tea. Zuko and Rall had both chosen green mint and Hartmann was sipping on Earl Grey. The rest of them were enjoying jasmine.

Their conversations eventually shifted towards girls. Hartmann started off by talking about his love, a woman by the name of Ursula Pætch, who he affectionately called "Ushi,"

"We first met when I was 17. I knew Ushi was the right woman for me. I don't know how, but something clicked."

"You planning on marrying her?" asked Nowotny.

Hartmann's smile drooped a little, "I'm not sure. Our parents weren't too keen about it when we proposed it, but only time will tell."

"What about you, Zuko?" Nowotny turned to him, "Do you have a girl you love?"

"Well..." Zuko mumbled, twiddling his fingers absentmindedly, "Yes, I do." He took a sip from his tea, raised his head and looked Nowotny in the eye.

"Who is she?" asked Galland, who leaned closer, a look of curiosity on his face.

"Her name is Mai."

"Well that's not very much," said Rall.

"Well what do you want to know?" asked Zuko exasperatedly. Lu Ten smirked before pressing the point,

"What's she like? What does she do?"

"Well, she's the daughter of the Burgmeister of Stuttgart, so I don't see her that often."

"Isn't she that gloomy girl you told us about earlier?" Galland chimed in, sipping on his jasmine tea.

"Yeah." Zuko smiled and laughed a little.

"Why is she so gloomy?"

Zuko took a long sip of his tea before answering, "She told me on our first date." He lowered his voice to avoid attracting attention, "When Hitler came to power. Her father was desperate to keep his position as mayor. Either that or he was afraid of the _Gestapo_. So, he told her to keep her mouth shut. She couldn't voice her opinion, show any emotion. Eventually, she became cold and indifferent to everything."

"Well, what does she like to do for fun?"

"Nothing, really. She is good at knife-throwing and sharpshooting, though."

"Wow. Seems like a fierce girl," said Hartmann, taking another sip of his Earl Grey.

"Yeah. One time, when Azula was making fun of me, she pinned her death's head cap to a wall and then pinned her to it by the sleeves of her trench coat."

The other pilots laughed as Iroh came over to their table.

"Enjoying your tea?" he asked.

All six pilots nodded vigorously.

"That's good. By the way, Zuko, follow me. I have a surprise for you."

Zuko got up and followed his uncle.

"So what's my surprise?" He asked as Iroh led him out of the tea shop.

"Why don't you take a guess?"

Iroh tossed him a key that had a Daimler-Benz logo on it. As he stepped into the garage next to the tea shop, Zuko's jaw dropped.

Sitting in front of him was a brand-new red Mercedes-Benz 540K cabriolet.

"What do you think?" Iroh asked with a smile on his face.

"I..I..." Zuko stammered, "I love it!"

He hugged Iroh tightly, "Thank you, Uncle!"

"You're welcome, my dear nephew."

"I'm sorry I have to leave so soon," a tear trickled down Zuko's face, "

"Don't worry, Zuko. We will see each other again some day. In the meantime, take care of yourself."

"I will. I promise."

Iroh beamed at his nephew, tears welling up in his eyes.

"I'm so proud of you, my nephew. You and Lu Ten have become brave young men."

Zuko nodded and got into his new car. He inserted the key and turned it, and its eight-cylinder engine began running. As Iroh moved out of the garage, Zuko shifted the gear to reverse and backed out onto the street. The other five pilots came out of the teashop. Galland whistled in admiration while Hartmann, Nowotny, and Rall looked on enviously.

"Nice car," shouted Lu Ten, "that means you can give one of us a ride."

"I'll go with him," Galland piped up, "We are in the same squadron after all."

Galland opened the door and got into Zuko's car. The others piled into Lu Ten's car, a black Mercedes-Benz 320 _Stromlinien-Limousine_.

Lu Ten and Zuko walked over to Iroh to say their last goodbyes.

"Goodbye, Uncle," Zuko said.

"Take care, my nephew. Remember what I told you, 'Never give up without a fight.'"

"I will." He hugged Iroh one last time before walking over to his red cabriolet.

As he watched, Iroh pulled Lu Ten into a tight embrace, and after several seconds, Lu Ten disengaged and walked to his car.

* * *

Iroh raised a hand in farewell as the two cars drove away towards Stuttgart Airport. He thought briefly of Lu Ten's parting words.

 _Remember that song you would always sing. Just think of it. I will come marching home to you, Father. I promise._

Humming that song to himself, Iroh smiled and walked back into his tea shop.

* * *

 **A/N: So I get that this is a somewhat dry chapter in terms of action, but I hope Zuko reuniting with Iroh and Lu Ten made up for it. The next chapter will hopefully set up the internal conflict that Zuko will undergo.**

 **Another thing, I apologize in case i made Hitler look a little too humane (That was not my intention).**

 **Additional notes:**

 **Luftwaffe rankings in this story, and their equivalents are as follows:**

 **-** _ **Feldwebel**_ **= Staff Sergeant**

 **-** _ **Stabsfeldwebel**_ **= Master Sergeant/Warrant Officer**

 **-** _ **Leutnant**_ **= Second Lieutenant**

 **-** _ **Oberleutnant**_ **= First Lieutenant**

 **-In case it isn't clear,** _ **Die Jasmin Drachen**_ **means "The Jasmine Dragon" in German.**

 **-The song that Iroh is thinking off is "Leaves from the Vine," the last line of which is what Lu Ten makes a reference to.**


	4. Tensions Begin: Part 1

**June 27th, 1942**

 _ **Waldfriedhof**_ **Military Cemetery**

 **Stuttgart, Germany**

* * *

 _8 months earlier, Flughafen Stuttgart_

" _Do you have to leave? It's only been two days."_

" _Don't worry, Zuko. We'll see each other again. I promise."_

* * *

 _No, we won't_ , Zuko thought as the procession began.

A week earlier, Zuko and Iroh had received a telegram from Walter Nowotny that Lu Ten had been shot down while attacking dive-bombers over Stalingrad. They still held on to the faintest hope that he had survived, only to have it shattered when another telegram stated that his body had been pulled from the wreckage of his Bf 109. The autopsy revealed that he had died from a bullet wound to the head. His body had been flown over to Stuttgart on a Ju 52.

Iroh had cried for days on end. But Zuko tried not to cry. _I need to be strong for my uncle_.

At the same time, both JG 26 and the _Luftwaffe_ as a whole had taken a serious blow. 8 months earlier, just 9 days after the award ceremony, Ernst Udet had committed suicide and Werner Mölders, then General of the Fighters, was killed in a plane crash on the 22nd. As a result, Adolf Galland was chosen as his replacement, which meant he would have to leave JG 26 behind. As a result, Josef Priller became the new _Geschwaderkommodore_.

Azula, of course, was not present for the funeral. Just a few days earlier in Prague, Reinhard Heydrich had died after being wounded in an assassination attempt by the Czech Resistance. Azula was currently locked in a feud with SS- _Obergruppenführer_ Ernst Kaltenbrunner over who would succeed Heydrich as chief of the RSHA.

* * *

The procession began with several drummers and a brass section playing the mournful marching tune _Der Gute Kamerad._ As the opening section finished playing, Zuko, Iroh, and the other mourners began singing:

 ** _Ich hatt' einen kameraden,_**

 ** _Einen bessern findst du nit._**

 ** _Die trommel schlug zum streite,_**

 ** _Er ging an meiner seite,_**

 ** _In gleichem schritt und tritt,_**

 ** _In gleichem schritt und tritt._**

Tears began streaming down Zuko's face as Lu Ten's coffin rolled past. He continued singing, but his voice cracked several times. Iroh was already sobbing.

 ** _Einen kugel kam geflogen:_**

 ** _Gilt's mir oder gilt es dir?_**

 ** _Ihn hat es weggerissen,_**

 ** _Er liegt zu meinen füßen_**

 ** _Als wär's ein stuck von mir,_**

 ** _Als wär's ein stuck von mir._**

By this point, Zuko had broken down. He was sobbing uncontrollably. Somehow, however, he found the strength to continue:

 ** _Will mir die hand noch reichen,_**

 ** _Derweil ich eben lad,_**

 ** _Kann dir die hand nicht geben,_**

 ** _Bleib du im ew'gen leben,_**

 ** _Mein guter kamerad,_**

 ** _Mein guter kamerad!_**

* * *

As Zuko and Iroh stood before Lu Ten's grave, they watched as his coffin was lowered in, and then they helped cover it with dirt. Soon, the mourners began to depart, leaving only the deceased's father and cousin. Iroh suddenly collapsed to his knees and began to cry in earnest. Zuko put a hand on his uncle's shoulder as he tried to hold back tears of his own. Then, once Iroh steadied himself, he began singing again:

 ** _Leaves from the vine,_**

 ** _Falling so slow,_**

 ** _Like fragile, tiny shells_**

 ** _Drifting in the foam._**

 ** _Little soldier boy,_**

 ** _Come marching home._**

 ** _Brave soldier boy,_**

 ** _Comes marching home._**

By the time Iroh finished, Zuko was in tears. He sat down next to Iroh, who threw his arms around him and sobbed.

As raindrops began to fall, the two stayed huddled together, mourning for the brave soldier boy who would never come marching home.

* * *

 **A/N: So I know this is a really short chapter, but it is a 2-part chapter, so that's why it's way shorter than the others. Anyways, R &R as you please. I know this may be a little dry, but I don't do tragedy too well.**

 **Additional notes:**

 **English translation for Der Gute Kamerad:**

 _ **I once had a comrade,**_

 _ **You will find no better.**_

 _ **The drum called to battle,**_

 _ **He walked at my side,**_

 _ **In the same pace and step.**_

 _ **A bullet came flying,**_

 _ **Is my turn or yours?**_

 _ **He was swept away,**_

 _ **He lies at my feet,**_

 _ **As if it was a part of me.**_

 _ **He still reaches out his hand to me,**_

 _ **While I am about to reload.**_

 _ **I cannot hold onto your hand,**_

 _ **Rest you in eternal life,**_

 _ **My good comrade.**_


	5. Tensions Begin: Part 2

**July 10th, 1942**

 _ **Flughafen Stuttgart**_

 **Stuttgart, Germany**

 _Back to war I go_ , Zuko thought bitterly as he got out of his Mercedes. His liberty pass had ended and it was time for him to return to the Front. Yet this time, Zuko did not feel enthusiastic about returning to JG 26. He would be happy to see Priller and Hans, of course, but he no longer felt enthusiastic about the war itself. The war had robbed him of one of the only two people in his family who had stuck by his side throughout his rough childhood. Sure, his mother had cared for him, but Ozai had used his influence in the SS to have her hauled off to Ravensbrück Concentration Camp when he discovered she was communicating with her previous lover. He never saw her again, but rumour had it she had managed to escape. But that had to be a rumour, and nothing more.

Zuko was more concerned for Uncle Iroh. Although he had improved and was mostly back to his boisterous attitude, Zuko was certain he would never entirely recover from Lu Ten's death.

As soon as he had finished the short walk to the hangar, Zuko climbed up into the cockpit of his Fw 190. In April of 1942, JG 26 upgraded to the A-3 variant. Compared to the A-1, the A-3 sported a more powerful armament, with four wing-mounted 20mm cannon as opposed to two on the A-1. However, it still retained the two nose-mounted 7.92mm machine guns as the A-1. It also had a more powerful BMW 801D-2 engine, which put out more horsepower than the standard 801, and it could also be equipped with bombs and air-to-ground rockets for ground attack missions.

Zuko's Fw 190A-3 had the number 50, along with 9 kill marks painted on its rudder, indicating the 59 planes he had shot down so far in his career. He had gained six kills during the _Kriegsmarine_ 's Channel Dash as he and JG 26 defended the battlecruisers _Scharnhorst_ and _Gneisenau_ from the wrath of the Fleet Air Arm as they made their way back to friendly waters. The other three kills he had scored during his regular patrols over the Channel.

He had also painted a warship on the side of the engine cowling to represent the British destroyer he had sunk 9 months earlier.

Zuko started the engine, made final adjustments to the trim tab and checked the ailerons and elevators. He waved goodbye to Iroh, who had insisted on accompanying him to the airport. Iroh waved back with his usual easygoing smile. Zuko smiled back, feeling slightly more confident that his uncle would be alright.

After closing the canopy, Zuko eased the throttle forward slightly and, using the rudder pedals, he taxied onto the runway. Once he was in position, he lowered the flaps to 15 degrees before pushing the throttle to full. His Fw 190 sped down the runway. Once it reached 75 knots, Zuko pulled back on the stick, lifting the fighter into the sky.

As the 190 climbed into the sky, Zuko raised the landing gear and retracted the flaps. He leveled out when he reached 20,000 feet, turned his fighter west and settled back for the flight to Northern France.

* * *

 _ **Flugplatz St-Omer**_

 **St. Omer, France**

About an hour later, Zuko was back at base.

As he walked towards the barracks, he suddenly heard another familiar voice,

"Hotman! You're back!"

Zuko turned around and saw Priller and Hans walking towards them with another unfamiliar face.

Hans pulled Zuko into a hug, which he returned. Hans had had an eventful career himself. He had been cleared to fly along Zuko in combat missions, and had racked up 17 kills so far.

"Good to see both of you again."

"And you as well, Zuko," Priller replied.

"Who's the new face?" Zuko gestured towards the third man standing away from them. He had a steely face and black hair slicked back over his head. A Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was fastened to his neck. Needless to say, he looked quite intimidating and had the hardened expression of an experienced pilot.

"Ah, yes," Priller turned back, "Zuko, allow me to introduce your new _Gruppenkommandeur_ , Gustav Rödel. He is replacing me as Commander of Group III."

Rödel approached Zuko and shook his hand enthusiastically, his expression softening.

"Zuko, eh? So you're the one who singlehandedly sank that destroyer."

"Yeah, that's me."

Rödel placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder, "Excellent! Pips has told me nothing but good things about you! Apart from your disastrous spell in the Messerschmitt, that is."

Zuko's cheeks flushed red in embarrassment as Priller and Hans chuckled.

"Ah, I was only kidding. Your aircraft doesn't determine your skill as a pilot."

"Thanks, I guess," Zuko muttered in response. He still felt slightly embarrassed.

"Of course, I still fly the Bf 109."

For some reason, Zuko felt a pang as he thought of Lu Ten. A dejected expression crossed his face and he lowered his head.

"Is something wrong, Zuko?" Rödel asked.

"I–I.." Zuko stammered as tears rolled down his face. He choked on a sob as more memories of Lu Ten suddenly came flashing back to him.

He quickly turned and ran towards the barracks.

"Zuko!" Hans called as he ran after him, leaving Priller and Rödel on their own.

"What was that all about?" Rödel asked skeptically as he turned to Priller. From what Pips had told him about Zuko, this was most unlike him.

Priller turned to face his comrade, a sad look on his face,

"Don't judge him too harshly, Gus. Something horrible happened to him recently."

"What exactly happened?"

"Come with me to the mess hall and I shall tell you over a cup of tea."

* * *

Zuko sat on his bunk, his head in his hands. He was sobbing uncontrollably as everything that had happened in the past 8 months came rushing in like a tsunami.

 _Lu Ten saying goodbye. Reading Lu Ten's death telegram. Iroh crying over Lu Ten's death. Watching Lu Ten's coffin parade past. Lu Ten's burial._

 _Lu Ten. Lu Ten. Lu Ten. Lu Ten. Lu Ten._

"LU TEN!" Zuko suddenly shouted before collapsing onto his bunk.

"Why," he sobbed, "Why did you have to die?"

"Zuko?" A soft voice called out.

He looked up and saw Hans sticking his head through the door, a concerned look on his face.

Despite his emotional wreck, Zuko's pride got the better of him. _You can't let him see you like this._

"Go away, Hans." Zuko muttered, looking away.

He expected Hans to turn around and walk out, leaving him alone to his crying.

But what happened next shocked him.

"No," Hans replied.

Suddenly, Zuko's sadness turned to anger. _How dare you defy an order from your superior!_

"GET OUT!" Zuko yelled, glaring at Hans, "Leave me alone!"

"No!" Hans shouted back, "I will not!"

Zuko seethed, " _Hauptgefreiter_ Hans von Henkel, I am ordering you as your superior to get out, now!"

"No, _Leutnant_ Zuko, I will not! I am your wingman! It is my duty to watch your back! And I will not turn my back on you! Not now, not in the future, NEVER!"

Hans' outburst sent Zuko's defensive walls crashing down. He let out a meek whimper and curled up on his bunk, as though Hans was going to attack him. He buried his face in his arms, the tears flowing once more.

"Zuko," Hans said soothingly, "You are my friend and my mentor. It is thanks to your help that I'm still flying. I owe you my life, and I want to help you too, I really do."

Hans walked closer to Zuko, who looked up slowly at him. His shimmering amber eyes met Hans' blue ones. But they were not ice cold and penetrative like those of Hitler or Heydrich. Instead, they were as gentle as a clear blue sky.

"Please don't shut me out, Zuko," Hans pleaded softly, "Let me help you."

Zuko suddenly launched himself at Hans, pulling him into a desperate hug. As Zuko sobbed into Hans' shoulder, he wrapped his arms around him tightly, as though he would fall apart if he let go. Hans returned the hug gently, rubbing circles on Zuko's back. He tried to hold back tears of his own. It pained him deeply to see someone he regarded as a mentor, a friend, and an older brother crying his heart out.

After several minutes, Zuko forced himself to stop crying. His grip around Hans slackened a little, but he did not let go. He raised his head and looked at Hans, who smiled gently back at him.

"Come on, let's go sit down." Hans led Zuko, who was still shaking a little, over to a small square table in the middle of the room with four seats around it.

As they sat down opposite one another, Hans reached across the table and took Zuko's hand in his own.

"Tell me, Zuko, what's been bothering you."

Zuko briefly felt like he was about to cry again, but the warm feeling of Hans' hand motivated him to hold his tears back. As he looked Hans in the eye once more, he realized that he had found not just a squadronmate, but a true friend who would listen to his grievances and support him.

Now, more than ever, Zuko was glad that he had taken Hans under his wing.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, he began to tell his wingman of his grievances.

* * *

At the same time, in the mess hall, over cups of Iroh's jasmine tea, Priller had just finished telling Rödel the circumstances of Zuko's breakdown.

"Poor boy," Rödel said solemnly after taking a sip from his cup, "I take it he and his cousin were close."

"Indeed," Priller replied.

"Herr _Hauptmann_!" a voice called out.

Priller and Rödel looked up and saw a Communications Officer running towards them, a telegram in his hand. He handed it to Priller,

"Urgent message from OKL!"

Both Priller and Rödel examined the telegram. Their eyes widened in shock at its contents.

"They're gathering WHERE?!" Priller asked aghast.

"How far is Dieppe from here?" Rödel questioned.

"About 120 kilometers."

"'Many landing craft gathering.' Not very specific, are they?" said Rödel as he scrutinized the telegram again.

"Hmmm," Priller turned to the Communications Officer, who snapped to attention,

"I shall deliver you a reply message to send back to OKL soon. In the meantime, inform the pilots of a meeting in the briefing room."

" _Jawohl_ , Herr _Hauptmann_!"

The Officer saluted and headed out of the mess hall.

"Gus," Rödel cocked his head in Priller's direction,

"Gather the pilots from your group and," he added in a softer voice, "Check on Zuko and make sure he's okay."

"Sure." Rödel finished his tea and strode from the hall.

* * *

When Zuko finally finished recounting Lu Ten's funeral, he took a deep, shuddering breath. A tear rolled down his cheek as Hans tightened his grip on Zuko's hand.

"I'm so sorry, Zuko," Hans whispered, his blue eyes shimmering, "You must have really loved him."

Zuko smiled sadly, "He and Uncle Iroh were the only family I truly had."

"I imagine so, considering your last few arguments with your sister nearly turned into gunfights. "

Zuko laughed softly.

"Did I ever tell you about my older brother, Alfred?" Hans continued.

"No, you did not." Zuko answered, surprised. He was not even aware Hans had an older brother.

"He was a gunner in the _Kriegsmarine_."

" _Was_?" Zuko asked, "What do you mean?"

"He was on the cruiser _Blücher_ at Norway. You remember, right?"

Zuko nodded gravely. Although he was not in the _Kriegsmarine_ , he had read about the tragedy of the _Blücher_ , which sank during the German invasion of Norway with significant casualties.

"I'm sorry."

Before Hans could reply, however, Rödel burst into the room.

"You two, come with me. Everyone else from our Group is heading to the briefing room."

"What's going on?" Hans questioned.

"Pips will explain everything," Rödel replied, "Let's go, now."

Hans and Zuko rose from the table, pushed their chairs in and walked towards the door.

As soon Hans left, however, Rödel stopped Zuko,

"Are you feeling okay, Zuko?"

"I'm feeling better now, thank you."

"Good. I'm sorry I...provoked your breakdown..."

"It's fine. You didn't know I would react like that."

"May I ask why you reacted to that, though?"

"Well, my cousin always flew the Bf 109 in combat. I just remember seeing him take off in it on the last day I saw him."

"Ah. I see. Are you sure you're feeling better?"

"Yes. I think I can control myself."

"Good," Rödel gestured towards the door, "Shall we take our leave, then? We may be a little late, but Pips will probably brief you on anything you might have missed."

"Very well," Zuko replied, "After you, then."

He followed Rödel out of the barracks and to the briefing room, where Priller was already explaining what would become the most important mission for _Jagdgeschwader_ 26.

* * *

 **Telegram from JG 26** _ **Geschwaderkommodore**_ **Josef Priller to** _ **General der Jagdflieger**_ **Adolf Galland**

 **(Pre-encryption)**

From Priller to Galland, 1430

Contents:

News of impending British invasion of Dieppe received. Schlageter (JG 26) transferring to nearby airbases starting tomorrow. Will conduct regular patrols over town until Richthofen (JG 2) arrives.

End

* * *

 **A/N: Whew! Thank goodness this is done. Sorry for the delay, but I've started working on college apps. Anyways, R &R as you please, and I will see you all next time.  
**

 **Endnote #1: If there are any _Luftwaffe_ buffs who read this, I know that Rödel wasn't actually part of JG 26. I just wanted to include him because he is one of the _Experten_ who I admire. He would often say to the pilots under his command, "You are fighter pilots, first, last, always. If I ever hear of any of you shooting at someone in a parachute, I'll shoot you myself!"**

 **Endnote #2: I get the telegram at the end is a little weird, but I recently read** _ **Dracula**_ **, which is written as a series of documents, such as diary entries and telegrams, which I thought was interesting. So, I decided to incorporate that.**

 **Historical note:**

 **-As implied, the mission that Zuko and JG 26 are gearing up for at the end is the British and Canadian invasion of Dieppe, which occurred in August, 1942. Although it was a complete failure, it greatly influenced the later invasions of North Africa and Normandy, both of which were successes.**


	6. Jubilee

**August 19th, 1942**

 **Skies above Dieppe, France**

* * *

 _ **Den wir fahren,**_

 _ **gegen Engeland,**_

 _ **Engeland.**_

Zuko, Hans, and the other pilots finished the final lyrics of _Das Englandlied_ as they neared the shores of Dieppe.

The Allies had launched their invasion of the French coastal town. An entire division of Canadian troops numbering 6,000 men had been committed along with a small contingency of Royal Navy warships and 74 RAF fighter squadrons.

Spitfires were already spread out over the beach like flies. Canadian troops had disembarked from their landing craft and were wading onto the beach. Several of the new Churchill tanks rumbled onto the sandy shore. They had been fitted with deep-wading equipment, allowing them to travel through the water onto the beach.

Not that the Germans weren't prepared for the invasion. Thanks to their intelligence gathered from French double agents and reconnaissance flights, they had known about the invasion long before it had begun, allowing them to hunker down and prepare for the onslaught.

1,500 men from the 302nd Static Infantry Division, under the command of Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, held the fort. They included three infantry regiments, along with artillery, reconnaissance, signal, engineer, and anti-tank battalions.

All along the upper shore, the Germans had built several concrete bunkers that housed Flak 18 guns, the dreaded _Eighty-Eights_. Regarded as one of the best anti-aircraft guns of its time, the _Eighty-Eight_ also proved to be a formidable anti-tank weapon, as it could be lowered below the horizontal to -3 degrees. Its 88mm (hence the nickname) shells could penetrate the armor of any Allied tank.

In addition, at Von Rundstedt's insistence, German engineers had laid out several obstacles and mines on the beach to pin down and destroy armored vehicles that attempted to wade through the shore. Consequently, most of the Churchill tanks were either trapped by obstacles or destroyed by either mines or shells from the _Eighty-Eights_.

The Canadian soldiers charging onto the beach were soon met with torrents of bullets from the new MG 42 machine guns that had been installed in the gun emplacements. Nicknamed "Hitler's buzzsaw," the MG 42 put out an astonishing 1,200 rounds per minute. Needless to say, many of the Canadian soldiers were cut to shreds before they could clear the shore.

The _Luftwaffe_ committed both JG 26 and JG 2, a total of 200 Fw 190s (and Rödel's Bf 109). Currently, they were escorting three bomber wings, which constituted a total of 100 twin-engined Dornier Do 217 medium bombers, to the battlefield.

At the head of the formation, Priller rocked his fighter's wings to signal the attack.

" _Schlageter_ , attack the fighters. _Richthofen_ , cover our bombers!"

The Do 217s split off and dove towards the landing craft and destroyers. The Fw 190s of JG 2 followed them, acting as top cover. Some of them split off and began strafing the infantry on the shore.

At the same time, a group of no less than a dozen Spitfires dove after the JG 26 fighters from 12 o'clock high.

Zuko yanked back on the stick, pulling into a climb. Hans followed suit, as did Priller, Rödel, and the other fighters.

As he closed the range to the English fighters, Zuko pulled the trigger, firing his cannon and machine guns at the nearest Spitfire. After a few bursts, the British plane exploded.

The other JG 26 fighters opened fire at the same time, destroying five of the oncoming attackers while losing two of their own.

The initial attack soon gave way to a massive furball as many more Spitfires and a handful of Fw 190s from JG 2 joined the fray, and the skies above Dieppe became a battleground for some of the fiercest dogfighting since the Battle of Britain.

Zuko navigated his 190 through the maelstrom, firing at any British plane that crossed his sights. All around him, planes whizzed to and fro, fireballs and parachutes fell earthward.

Somehow, Hans managed to stick with him, until a Spitfire dropped in on his tail.

Zuko shouted over the radio, "Hans, you've got a Brit on your tail! Break!"

Hans immediately flicked into a diving turn, but the Spitfire followed him through the maneuver. They leveled off at ten feet off the ground. Hans sped away from the beach towards the countryside, the Brit still on his tail.

"I can't shake him!" Hans yelled frantically.

"Hang in there Hans, I'm coming!" Zuko replied.

He kicked the rudder and pulled back on the stick, rolling into a left turn. He then leaned forward on the stick to descend towards his target. As Zuko leveled out, he saw Hans' 190 weaving left and right, flaps down, as he tried to get the bloodthirsty Spitfire off his tail to no avail.

As he closed in, Zuko switched to his nose-mounted machine guns. He kept jerking the stick in all directions to angle his fighter properly. If he made even a single miscalculation, he might end up hitting Hans.

The British pilot had scored several hits on his target. Hans was in trouble. It was now or never.

Taking a deep breath, Zuko pulled the trigger and held it for a few seconds, releasing a steady stream of high-explosive 7.92mm rounds.

After a few seconds, the Spitfire burst into flames.

To Zuko's relief, the burning plane dropped away from Hans' Fw 190, but what happened next would haunt him for the rest of his life.

The Spitfire's canopy flew off and the British pilot bailed out, even though he was only ten feet off the ground. At that altitude, he wouldn't even be able to open his parachute before hitting the ground.

As he impacted the French countryside, the pilot's body bounced for several feet before coming to rest in the fiery wreckage that had once been his Spitfire. It had crashed seconds after he had bailed out.

Zuko was horrified as he witnessed his opponent's immolation. No one deserved to die in such a ghastly manner. He began hyperventilating as he struggled to keep his emotions in check.

"Zuko, are you alright? Zuko! Answer me!"

Hearing Hans' worried voice brought Zuko out of his anxiety attack.

"I'm fine," he replied, though he shuddered a little, "Are you okay?"

"I took some damage, but I think I'll be okay."

"Good, let's get back to the battle, then."

Hans formed up alongside Zuko and together, they turned around and hightailed back to the beaches.

When they returned, however, the Allies had just completed a hasty withdrawal. In their wake lay an insurmountable carnage.

Thousands of dead Canadian troops littered the beach along with the burnt-out hulks of tanks and armored cars. Some of them, however, had simply been abandoned. On the water, several landing craft and a British destroyer were burning. The area was also dotted with the wreckage of fighter and bomber aircraft, both Allied and German.

" _Mein gott_ ," Hans whispered over the radio, "It looks like they were completely wiped out."

Zuko said nothing, scanning the sky around him for friendly aircraft. He wanted to get away from here as soon as possible.

"Ah, there you are, Zuko," Rödel's voice sounded over the radio as a Bf 109 pulled alongside Zuko and Hans, "Pips wanted be to stay behind until the two of you returned. We're all heading back to base."

"Good," Zuko replied, "Let's get out of here."

As the remaining Canadian troops who had survived were rounded up by their German captors, the three _Luftwaffe_ pilots formed up and flew back to St. Omer.

Thus, the disastrous raid on Dieppe came to a close.

* * *

 _ **Flugplatz St-Omer**_

That night, Zuko was trying fruitlessly to sleep. He kept tossing and turning, thinking about the unpleasant sight of the British pilot bouncing along the ground and the dead Canadian soldiers lying on the beach.

"Hey, Zuko?" Hans said from across the room.

"Huh?," Zuko replied, jolted from his nightmarish thoughts.

"Do you think they'll return?"

"Who?"

"The Allies. Since they failed once, do you think they'll try again?"

Zuko thought for a couple of seconds before replying,

"Maybe, but they'll probably try somewhere else, and send a greater amount of troops than they did today."

"Do you think we can stop them?"

"I don't know, Hans, but we'll have to try."

"Hmmm," Hans drifted off to sleep.

 _How does he do that?_ Zuko wondered to himself. While he would lie awake in his bed for quite some time, Hans would always immediately fall asleep as soon as his head was on the pillow.

Zuko closed his eyes and soon, after trying to push his nightmares out, he felt himself drift into a deep sleep.

* * *

 **Well, It's good to return to an action-filled chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it, and R &R!**

 **Historical notes:**

 **Dieppe casualties (taken from Wikipedia)**

* * *

 **Allied:**

 **907 soldiers killed**

 **586 soldiers wounded**

 **1,946 soldiers captured**

 **All 60 Churchill tanks**

 **Unknown numbers of vehicles**

 **275 British Commandos killed**

 **106 aircraft lost (shot down + accidents)**

 **Several landing craft**

 **1 British destroyer**

 **German:**

 **311 soldiers killed**

 **280 soldiers wounded**

 **48 aircraft lost**

* * *

 **Jubilee was the codename for the invasion.**

 **Zuko's current kill count: 61**


End file.
